Letters to the Editor: 07-14-17

Friday

Jul 14, 2017 at 9:12 AMJul 14, 2017 at 9:12 AM

Contributed Content

Safety issue demands attention

RE: "Digital Provocateur: ‘Resident troll’ gets town’s attention with YouTube videos" ... I do believe some of Kerry Henard's videos are a bit over the top, but the one titled "Town of Apple Valley Should be Ashamed” is pretty spot on, in my opinion.

It's about the need for a 1.4-mile walk/bicycle/wheelchair path along Bear Valley Road from Mockingbird Avenue to Sonic Burgers. I've been asking for this for over five years now, and nothing is being done about it. And, to see the 3-mile by 12-foot wide Riverwalk put in behind Best Buy (heard it was a grant) before this is just ridiculous. For me to see wheelchair bound, bicycle riders, walkers, and etc. making this trek daily — with cement trucks zooming past them just inches away at 50-plus mph just infuriates me more.

Mayor Nassif told me that once a business goes in, the sidewalk is added. That will never happen along that 1.4-mile area. Mark Puckett said, "We rely on the public to tell us about issues so we can fix them.” So, can you address this issue before somebody else ends up as roadkill. It doesn't need to be all fancy and over the top, just something!

William Furmage

Apple Valley

Old Tyme Religion

I would like to answer the latest letter in rebuttal to mine, but I find it so incoherent and laughable that it does not merit a response. Sir, have you had your yearly rabies shot? If you can call me a bigot, then I can dub thee Mad Dog. I am sorry I confused you with the truth. Dr. Weinberg prescribes that you get back into your snugly infallibility cocoon and suck on your Fox Noise fake news pacifier. Don't ever leave, and don't ever change the channel. Don't ever admit to fallibility or error. You have a monopoly on the truth. And, here is your mantra that you are to repeat the rest of your life: "I am right, you are wrong; I am right, you are wrong." Pleasant dreams.

Moving on to other news. Chris Uhlmann of the Australian Broadcasting System says of our current Savior in the White House: He's a "man who barks out bile in 140 characters, who wastes his precious days as president at war with the West's institutions — like the judiciary, independent government agencies and the free press." Now that's telling it as it is. But, then, the Don is just getting his learner's permit, so give him time. Ditto for ethics. He has no moral or spiritual compass, so just be patient and he will develop ethical directions in due time — or maybe never. But then that's why we elected him: to allow him to learn as he goes along and hope for the best. P.S. He is an outstanding example of a Christian.

A president does not sit around watching TV day and night and responding with idiotic slander whenever he disagrees with the content. He's supposed to be running the country. If he were, he would not have time to spend on this frivolous nonsense. No matter how ludicrous, no matter how inane, no matter how moronic, the Repugnicans will defend his every word and action. Now if Hillary Clinton had won and was acting like this the Repugnicans would be frothing at the mouth like Mad Dog. She would have been impeached in the first month of office. Not, however, the Teflon Don.

Edward Weinberg

Barstow

Sanctuary cities and states

A few years ago, about 40, I took a semester of criminal justice at Ventura junior college. Correct me if I am wrong, but here goes.

If anyone harbors or give aid or comfort to a criminal, that person or persons would be guilty of accessory to a crime and they would be arrested also. Now, for the good people of California who respect the laws and believe criminals should be arrested, when illegal aliens who have committed crimes are given sanctuary by city or state and those people are set out on the street by not notifying ICE agents, those officials should also be arrested and go to jail.

Now folks, California Democrats in Sacramento about to make California a “Sanctuary State” and have that far left Governor Brown sure to sign it. The same leftist that keeps raising your taxes folks, raising also the gas tax and auto registration fees.

Here is an example of leftists fools running the state or country. They do not have your best interest in mind people but their own far left agenda: tax, spend, waste, tax, spend and waste. I remember when California, years ago, was the Golden State, but has turned into tin. No longer gold.

Bob Craig

Victorville

Issuing an apology

At the July 11 Town Council meeting I spoke on issue of the Interim Town Manager salary that was shown as an hourly rate. I was wrong when I calculated the Interim Town Manager's salary using 2,000 working hours. I was told by a prominent accountant that I should have used 2080 hours, the industry standard.

I tried to show the Council that the Interim Town Manager hourly rate of $115.55 times 2,000 hours would be $231,000 yearly. (If I had used the industry standard it would be $240,344 yearly.) Either way the Interim Town Manager would be making more than the Speaker of the House, a Congressman, the governor of California and White House advisers.

I mentioned that the governor of California makes $78,920 less than the town's retiring town manager.

I do owe the town manager an apology. I was wrong when I said he just got a $13,095 raise. I assumed his listing on the (Town of Apple Valley classification plan) dated 6-27-17, agenda item #2, was his new salary. I was wrong, it was his current salary, $253,920. I do hope the town manager will accept my sincere apology.

I then suggested that rather than spending time and money to find a new manager they could just list the opening for our town manager at Congress and tell our governor we need a Town Manager. I would be willing to bet they would find a taker.

Lawrence McCarthy

Apple Valley

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.